01/08/2024 -
The Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) and participating public school districts are seeking input from Sonoma County school families and students in this year’s YouthTruth survey. The survey is an important tool for schools and community organizations to hear directly from students, employees, and school families about their needs.
The 15-minute family survey and 20-minute student survey explore topics related to student wellness and success, including college and career readiness, school culture, safety, communications, and mental health. More than 140 schools across 29 Sonoma County school districts are participating in this year’s survey, which is being conducted in January.
Parents, family members, or guardians of Sonoma County students at participating schools should have received the link to the survey from their students’ school or schools. The deadline for families to submit feedback is Friday, Jan. 26. The survey is anonymous and available in eight languages.
“Feedback from YouthTruth surveys can be used by schools to make sure their services and strategies are meeting the needs of students, parents, and staff,” said Dr. Louis Ganzler, the assistant superintendent who leads SCOE’s School Culture & Partnerships team. “One of the key components of a healthy school is ensuring the school climate is providing academic engagement, a sense of belonging, and a safe environment. This tool gives us important feedback on how students are experiencing their education.”
New for this year, Dr. Ganzler’s School Culture and Partnerships team at SCOE will create customized reports for each of the 15 comprehensive Sonoma County high schools where the survey was administered. Reports will analyze each school’s data relative to its peers in Sonoma County and make a series of recommendations for these schools to build on as they seek to boost academic success and promote a positive, supportive, and safe school culture.
The schools that administer the surveys use the results for program planning, professional development, and school improvement processes. While individual site and district survey results cannot be shared without the explicit written permission of school and district leaders, SCOE employees are well-versed in YouthTruth’s reports and partner with schools and districts as they interpret the results, set goals for improvement, and follow up with their communities.
The current surveys are the final installment of an expanded, three-year commitment to widen YouthTruth’s use at school sites across Sonoma County.
About a third of parents and guardians at participating school sites completed the survey each of the past two years. Although that is significantly higher than national averages, SCOE and YouthTruth hope to see a higher participation rate this year, given the importance of getting feedback from students and families in improving the school experience.
Students and families who wish to complete the survey should check for messages from their school or contact their school’s principal. Kristin Piotter, a division support assistant at SCOE, is available to help families access their school’s survey links via email. She can be reached at kpiotter@scoe.org or 707-524-2773.
Families are asked to include the name of their child’s school in their initial email.
Sonoma County schools participating in the 2024 YouthTruth survey
